Florida teacher accused of hitting special-needs student with book

A Florida substitute teacher has been arrested after allegedly striking a special-needs elementary school student with a book in retaliation for a violent outburst.

Madison Anthony, 25, was taken into custody on a felony child abuse charge last Thursday afternoon in connection to the alleged assault that took place at Champion Elementary School in Volusia County, where the suspect had been filling in for about a month, authorities said.

According to a charging affidavit cited by the station ClickOrlando, a school resource officer was approached by a staffer, saying that they had witnessed Anthony hit a child with a book in the exceptional student education (ESE) classroom.

The witness said that children in this classroom have learning and behavioral disabilities requiring additional school resources.

Law enforcement said that Anthony had seen the student in question hit a classmate with a book, to which she allegedly said: “you hit her, I hit you.”

The 25-year-old educator then yanked the book out of the child’s hands and walked around a table to get closer to the student before striking them, according to the court filing.

Anthony then allegedly warned the student again: “what you do to her, I’ll do to you.”

The victim’s mother was subsequently contacted by the police and said she wished to press criminal charges against Anthony.

Following Anthony’s arrest on a third-degree felony charge, Volusia Country Schools issued a statement, saying the 25-year-old suspect was immediately removed from the school system’s list of approved substitutes.

Anthony was released from jail Friday afternoon and made her initial court appearance that same day.

She is due back in court for an arraignment on Feb. 21.